Honey Hacks: How to prevent it from crystallising?

How many times have you inserted a spoon into the honey jar and found it completely solid? This is because honey has a natural tendency of crystallising. This process is quite normal and can be reversed as well. But before getting into that, it is important to understand the fundamentals behind why it happens which  may be due to several reasons.

Why does Honey crystallise?

First, due to the glucose content in honey which is not easily soluble, it tends to harden and form crystals. Second, if honey has less water content which cannot satisfactorily dissolve all the glucose, it tends to crystallize. Third, temperature plays a part here! Warmer temperatures or room temperature keeps honey in liquid form. That is why it is usually advised to not keep a jar of honey in the refrigerator or cold and places. Lastly, if there are foreign particles like dust, pollen or even air bubbles, it becomes a channel to speed up crystallization of honey.

Four hacks to prevent honey from crystallising:

When you are storing a fresh jar of honey, keep these hacks in mind to make it easier for consumption.

Note the temperature

The cooler the temperature the faster it crystallises. Thus, keep the jar of honey away from cold temperature. The ideal storage temperature should be anywhere above 21 degree centigrade or 70 degree Fahrenheit. Fluctuating temperature is also a reason why honey hardens. So, try and store it in a place where temperature is consistent.

Tight lids

Any foreign particles, air bubbles, pollen, moisture from the air etc. helps in speeding up the process of crystallization. Thus, keep the item in a tight lid jar, always.

Material matters

Using glass helps in creating a barrier for moisture entering the storage space. This not only helps in preventing crystallisation but also helps in keeping the original flavour of the honey in check.

Contamination must be prevented

Several times, unconsciously or absent mindedly, we insert a used spoon in the honey jar or if using it as a dip, we insert the item to be dipped straight –away inside. This should be avoided as it contaminates the composition of honey and speeds up the process of hardening.

How to reverse crystallisation of honey?

If your jar of honey has already crystallised, you need not worry. This is an extremely common scenario and can be easily reversible with two simple methods. Contrary to popular beliefs, microwaving is not an option. This is because sometimes there is uneven heating. This damages the nutrition and flavour content instead of doing anything good.

Here are two methods which you can use to restore the honey to its original state. 

Warm Water Bath

Considered to be the best method, you are required to place the jar of honey in a glass bowl. Warm water at 40-45 degree centigrade or 104- 113 degree Fahrenheit should be poured inside the bowl too. The water should be heated up but not boiled. Start stirring the honey jar occasionally. Let it sit on the warm bath for 15-20 minutes to 30 minutes. If you see the melting process is taking more time, remove the warm water and pour in a fresh batch before continuing with the rest of the process. This is a safe method which does not use the gas stove. But there’s also another which is quicker and over the stove.

Slow warming

Make sure the jar that you are storing the honey in, is heat tolerant. Put a pan of water on stove and heat it. The water should be warm but not boiling. Place the jar of honey directly into this bowl of water on the running stove and stir occasionally.